


LIMERENCE

by icyleaves



Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Depression, Drabbles, Gen, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, a bit of a mess, more lighthearted than the tags make it seem
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-07
Updated: 2017-05-07
Packaged: 2018-10-29 00:05:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,576
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10842297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/icyleaves/pseuds/icyleaves
Summary: (n.) the state of being infatuated with another person.Throughout everything, Shane never regretted opening up his heart to the farmer.





	LIMERENCE

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (n.) a state of seclusion or isolation.

The sounds and voices coming out of the saloon are typically loud and obnoxious on a Friday night. For some odd reason, many of the older townsfolk had a tradition to come spend their evenings together in a cramped bar. It was one of the many things Shane had found completely ridiculous when he first moved to Pelican Town. He didn’t, nor does he still, doesn’t understand the major appeal of spending your time with a bunch of people that’ll eventually forget you and what you’ve done. 

 

With that bitter attitude in mind, he sits in his usual secluded area by the fireplace. His beer is light and gross, a sickly pale in color, and nothing like the city’s beer he used to enjoy. It’s the cheapest thing Gus has on tap so, inevitably, Shane has to drink it when his paycheck begins to dwindle. 

 

A few beers in his system, at this point he usually begins to relax. It’s the weekend finally and he doesn’t have to go back to his personal hell of a job until Monday.  _ Thank god.  _ He would’ve slumped down into his chair, contented with the alcohol and the ignorance it gave him from the outside world.

 

Today was different.

 

The behavior of the groups of the townsfolk was deviating from usual. A busy conversation was held between the mayor, Lewis, and most of the other patrons in the saloon. It almost seemed as if he and the resident alcoholic, Pam, were the only ones left out of it. He could care less though. He knew he’d never be considered one of  _ them  _ even if he worked his ass off for the rest of his life in this town.

 

The conversation that’s taking place takes over his thoughts; there’s talk about a new resident moving in, a new farmer moving into the dump that is Floris farm. Apparently, it’s someone trying to make a home out of the trash hole that is Floris farm. Shane smirks into his drink, wishing the idiot of a farmer a bitter good luck.

 

He hears more about the farmer, talk of an old man who passed away years before, and numerous questions on what exactly they’re going to be like. Lewis answers the last ones in a quieter speech, one that Shane can’t hear from so far away. It seems after the old mayor is finished with his talk is when the patrons of the saloon become louder in tone.

 

It’s still early in the evening, a lot earlier when Shane typically leaves, but the excessive talk has given more power to his already lasting headache. He remembers gratefully about he has a six-pack of beer he has in the small fridge in his room. Thankful for that small kindness he’d accidentally given himself, he picks himself up from the table and hands Gus the money for his beer tonight.

 

Marnie waves at him when he opens up the door, sipping on a glass of red wine next to Lewis. He shrugs at her, annoyed, and walks out into the cold spring air.

 

The effects from winter still seem to be lingering in Pelican Town. His jacket is thick enough to protect his arms from the chill but his shorts, however, are singing another story entirely. He just groans inaudibly and starts heading towards Marnie’s ranch.

 

His thoughts are a jumbled mess, alternating between his usual self-deprecating thoughts and, oddly, of the farmer that’s moving in. He decides to linger on the farmer, that being a much more pleasant topic than the former. He hadn’t heard wind of it before but, then again, he wasn’t much into the town’s gossip either. Shane wonders if they’d just barely moved in or if it’s going to be a few weeks before he gets to meet them. He hopes they aren’t one of those talkative people and, if they are, they won’t talk to  _ him.  _ He doesn’t need the attention of anyone else in this damned town; Marnie and Jas are the only ones he needs to care about.

 

He’s in Cindersap Forest now, the walk to the saloon from the ranch not being too far away, and Marnie’s home is only a few steps away from him. It’s only then when it dawns on him Jas might be home and his plans to drink the six-pack in his fridge are now in question. She usually spends Friday nights at Jodi’s home, sleeping over with Vincent, on Fridays so Marnie can spend time with her friends at the saloon. He doesn’t remember if the plan is the same for tonight, seeing as Marnie hadn’t reminded him about it this week.

 

Shane wouldn’t mind watching over his goddaughter, the only thing that’s bearable in Pelican Town, but his upcoming migraine and the temptation of alcohol make that certain situation less than exciting.

 

He grabs his keys to the ranch out of his ragged pocket but then Shane suddenly stops. He hears sporadic, loud footsteps seem to come right towards him.

 

A girl is running straight towards him. 

 

A girl he’s never met before.

 

From the dark, he sees that she’s wearing a pair of light jeaned overalls with a black shirt underneath, and a red flannel used as the warmth from the cold. Her face is bright and flushed as if she’s been busy all day and night, and a dark braid flops from side to side as she sprints towards the ranch.

 

Shane grimaces.

 

“Ah,” The stranger says, panting slightly as she comes to stand next to him. “Um... Hello!”

Shane narrows his eyes at her, scanning her up cautiously. From his time in the city, a stranger never meant anything good. Just trouble and a bigger headache.

 

She looks slightly taken aback from his lack of speech but still continues, “My name is Amira... Amira Floris? I just moved in an hour ago and, well, I thought it’d be good to introduce myself to everyone.” 

 

_ Speak of the devil. _

 

The girl,  _ stranger _ , Amira, tries to smile at him. It turns out completely awkward and forced. He can tell straight away that she’s nervous but, right now, he’s not in the mood to even to pretend to care.

 

“I haven’t moved to a small town like this before,” She continues, likely talking more because of Shane’s non-existent additions to the conversation, “So please forgive me if I make any silly mistakes.”

Amira shuffles her feet, staring at them, “You’re the first person I’ve met today so I hope I’m not making a bad impression.”

 

“Why are you talking to me?” Shane finally grumbles out.

  
Amira’s face goes straight back to his in confusion, “Ah?”

“Why are you wasting your time? I don’t know you.” He glares, hoping the farmer will leave him alone so he can go drink and pass out.

 

“I just wanted to, well,” Amira stammers out, “...I’m sorry.”

Shane sighs, “If you’re sorry, you’d leave me alone. Everyone else is in town is in the Stardrop Saloon just talking about a new farmer. Guess that’s you.”

“I’d...” She pauses, “I’d guess so.”

 

“Alright, farmer,” Shane unlocks the door to Marnie’s, “Don’t bother me again unless it’s something important.”

 

He opens the door and turns around to see a dumbstruck face on the girl. She stares at him, confused. Shane feels a bit of guilt, knowing that he’s the first person she’s met in this town. He should’ve tried to been nicer but, well, at least this introduction will likely cause the farmer to keep her distance.

 

“Wait!” Amira says, wide-eyed, “I don’t know what I may have done but, um, can I at least get your name?”

 

Shane smirks, his last beer from the saloon finally in his system, “Shane.”

He slams the door right in the nervous farmer’s face.

 

Jas isn’t home or else she’d be running up towards him, asking about how his day was. He regrets his earlier statement, one where he wanted to be alone, because now he’s wracked with guilt on how awful he just treated that poor farmer. It’s justifiable to ask someone to leave you alone because you’re tired but it’s another thing altogether to slam the door in front of someone he’s never met before. 

 

To think that he’d just been extremely curious about her; he at least wanted to know the reasonings behind her decision to move to Stardew Valley. He knew it’d be  _ highly  _ unlikely on the chances of them being friends, Shane being the one to not care about relationships with other people, but he should’ve at least tried to do something different.

 

A lot of  _ should'ves, would'ves,  _ and  _ could'ves  _ start arising in his brain one by one. He groans, running a hand through his greasy hair.

 

That farmer... She seemed kind enough, quite nervous in her actions, but ultimately like she was trying  _ really  _ hard to force herself to speak. Shane understands that sort of feeling, lives through it every day- except he doesn’t try, he’s just a dick about everything.

 

His first instincts say to go back out there and apologize. His heart wants the new farmer to feel comfortable in Pelican Town, to be treated with the same respect as he was when he first moved in. His body is itching to move, to say or do something to make the situation more bearable for his conscious.

 

His brain tells him to go to his room and drink away the guilt. 

**Author's Note:**

> /not sure when this will be updated/  
> /updates will be differentiating in schedules/


End file.
